The Two Horses of Genghis Khan

In 2009, director Byambasuren Davaa transported audiences back in time to the heart of Mongolia with her deeply moving and culturally rich documentary-style narrative, The Two Horses of Genghis Khan. The film stars Urna Chahar-Tugchi, a talented folk singer from Inner Mongolia. Also featuring engaging performances by Hicheengui Sambuu and Chimed Dolgor, this film immerses viewers in the nomadic Mongolian lifestyle in a refreshingly authentic way.

The Two Horses of Genghis Khan, as suggested by its intriguing title, puts forward a unique blend of history, folklore, music, and Mongolian culture, all wrapped inside a remarkable true-life journey of the lead character, Urna. Not only does the film serve as a commentary on the preservation and restore of traditional culture, but it also presents an intimate and visceral experience of the sublime Mongolian landscape, its customs, and its people.

Urna Chahar-Tugchi, appearing as herself in the film, is presented with an heirloom that is connected to her ancestry—a enthralling, but badly damaged, horse-headed violin, locally known as Morin Khuur. Legend has it that the violin's strings are made from the tail hairs of the titular two horses who were martyrs of various wars fought by the legendary Genghis Khan. The head of this revered instrument is adorned with an age-old song—almost forgotten, due to years of torment under the cultural revolution—that talks about these two horses.

The film traces Urna’s quest to repair this symbolic artifact and recover the lost song, taking the audience on an enlightening journey through pristine valleys, across silencing deserts and upto the snowy heights of the Mongolian mountains. What begins as a personal endeavor to reconstruct a piece of her ancestry gradually evolves into an exploration of an age-old way of life that is fast disappearing under the effects of modernization and globalization.

A film deeply grounded in tradition and brimming with familial connection, The Two Horses of Genghis Khan is in many ways a moving portrayal of the human condition and an immersive meditation on history and collective memory. Urna’s intimate association with the music and her pure devotion to the quest of finding her heritage unify her personal journey with the larger cultural and historical narrative of her people.

Masterful cinematography further enhances the film’s narrative power, with the vast open spaces, swirling sands and craggy mountains of Mongolia virtually becoming secondary characters. The soundtrack is another pivotal piece in relaying the film’s profoundly poignant ambience, with hauntingly beautiful Mongolian folk tunes intertwined with the pulsating rhythm of nomadic life.

As the quiet stoicism of the Mongolian people comes forth, the audience gains a deeper appreciation of how tightly music is woven into the very fabric of their existence. Every aspect of life in the Mongolian steppes, from the endless ebb and flow of seasons, to the daily chores reflects profoundly in their songs and music, enveloping the audience in a rich tapestry of sensory experiences.

The director, Byambasuren Davaa, seamlessly combines documentary and narrative film styles to present this compelling story which, though set in Mongolia, touches universal themes of cultural heritage, memory, and the passing of time. While the film is in many ways an elegy for a dying way of life, it is also a celebration of the power of tradition and music to connect people across generations.

Highly immersive and utterly poetic, The Two Horses of Genghis Khan is more than just a cinematic voyage through Mongolia's vast plains. It serves as a deeply touching exploration of the role of heritage in one’s identity and the nobility inherent in a quest to keep the past alive in the face of encroaching modernity. A treat for history enthusiasts and music lovers alike, this film successfully navigates the realms of culture and folklore to deliver a spectacle that transcends geographical boundaries and resonates with audiences around the world.

With its deeply layered narrative and mesmerising imagery, The Two Horses of Genghis Khan is indeed a poignant homage to musical traditions, a paean to the natural beauty of Mongolia, and a silent lament for a rapidly vanishing way of life. It invites audiences not just to watch, but to listen, and to feel the unrelenting pulse of time and tradition coursing through every frame.